I met Tara Johnson during an online meeting and loved her infectious smile and positivity, so I wanted to read something she had written.
The Lies That Bind: Reclaiming Your Worth by Embracing God’s Truth by Johnson is a stunning tribute to the transformational power of an Almighty God. Chapter 1 was enough to make me want to keep turning the pages and purchase another of Johnson’s books. Tara’s raw vulnerability and truth impacted me.
Johnson’s book is about 170 pages of reading and doesn’t take much time compared to a lengthier self-help book or a 500-page novel. But it’s packed with valuable information that will make your life more rewarding and joyous. The author pulls you into her experiences, whether she is speaking to group of female inmates or a group of church ladies at a retreat. Surprisingly both groups raise their hand, indicating whether they have ever thought they were worthless. This raising of hands provided an effective hook for me as a reader to become fully engaged and committed throughout the book. From this hook forward, I scanned my church building and looked inside myself, wondering how many church ladies appear to have it all together but inwardly think of themselves as unworthy.
One of my favorite pleasures of reading this book was how safe I felt reading Tara’s heartfelt emotional struggles. I loved learning how even more difficult it can be to be a preacher’s kid, raised to an even a higher standard than many children and having to appear like you have it all together, because what will the congregation members think? Some of my most poignant memories of shared moments with the author included when Tara’s friends remarked about the deliciousness of tomatoes and Tara didn’t like tomatoes yet said, “Nothing better.” Her answer rang true. How many times had I “gone along” with a sister or friend’s opinion just so I could avoid conflict or disapproval? All in all, I cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone struggling with finding their own voice and opinions, and becoming the unique (and flawed) person God created them to be.
If you enjoyed The Lies That Bind: Reclaiming Your Worth by Embracing God’s Truth by Tara Johnson, you might also enjoy PrayerWalk: Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Strength & Discipline by Janet Holm McHenry, The Freedom of Surrender: 40 Devotions for a Joyful Life in Christ by Mary DeMuth, His Princess: Love Letters from Your King by Sheri Rose Shepherd, and The Anne of Green Gables Devotional: A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion for Kindred Spirits by Rachel Dodge.
